Acts one

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

1 Timothy Chapter 1

- Just as I encouraged you to stay in Ephesus when I was about to go to Macedonia, so I do now, in order for you to command certain ones not to teach different doctrine, nor to pay attention to false stories and to genealogies. Such things end up in nothing useful but merely give rise to speculations rather than providing anything from God in connection with faith.

- Keep away from different doctrine and false stories and genealogies!

- But then we need to speak and exchange and study to find what’s right or wrong!

- And always check it!

- No speculations but real matter!

- We need to extract it especially when it is hidden because of corruption!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
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Titus Chapter 1

- Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the accurate knowledge of the truth that is according to godly devotion

- A slave of God!

- Accurate knowledge!

- Godly devotion!

- A slave of God implicates action not sleeping!

- Accurate knowledge implicates erroneous knowledge!

- And the only way to get it is by hard work and exchange and study and making mistakes!

- Godly devotion is not tourism!

- It means love, loyalty or enthusiasm for a person or activity!

- We need to roll up our sleeves!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
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Hebrews Chapter 1

- Now at the end of these days he has spoken to us by means of a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the systems of things.

- Yes, God appointed Jesus heir of all things and through whom he made the systems of things!

- He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact representation of his very being, and he sustains all things by the word of his power. And after he had made a purification for our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So he has become better than the angels to the extent that he has inherited a name more excellent than theirs.

- Yes, Jesus is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact representation of his very being!

- Yes, he sat down at the right hand of God!

- Yes, he has inherited a name more excellent than angels’!

- Yes, he chose Paul for a special mission!

- Yes, we can have a share in this same mission!

 

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Looking for Paul
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Romans Chapter 1

- But I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that many times I have intended to come to you—but I have been prevented until now—in order that I might acquire some fruitage also among you just as among the rest of the nations. Both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to wise and to senseless ones, I am a debtor; so I am eager to declare the good news also to you there in Rome.

- Paul expresses his commitment to his mission regarding God’s word and Jesus!

- For God’s wrath is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who are suppressing the truth in an unrighteous way, because what may be known about God is clearly evident among them, for God made it clear to them. For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable.

- have you noticed!

- Men who are suppressing the truth in an unrighteous way!

- And it was true when the apostles were still alive!

- So think about they will be dead!

- And think about our modern times!

- So much corruption and distortion!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

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1 Corinthians Chapter 1

- He will also make you firm to the end so that you may be open to no accusation in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

- We must be ready for the coming back of Jesus!

- In fact, we must always be ready!

- A condition of heart and mind!

- And not wait for the last moment!

- It is common among men!

- But it is against God’s will!

- The one who wants to take the last train will miss it!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

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Galatians Chapter 1

- However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, I now say again, Whoever is declaring to you as good news something beyond what you accepted, let him be accursed.

- Paul insists on one fact: the disciples must reject anything which is different from the teaching they received from Paul!

- Those who corrupt God’s word will be accursed!

- And so many did the contrary!

- That’s why God’s word is so corrupted because of man’s word!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

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Ephesians Chapter 1

- It is according to the operation of the mightiness of his strength, which he exercised toward Christ when he raised him up from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above every government and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named, not only in this system of things but also in that to come. He also subjected all things under his feet and made him head over all things with regard to the congregation, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills up all things in all.

- Paul tells us about Jesus!

- He seats at God’s right hand!

- He is above every government and authority and power and lordship!

- He is second after God!

- Everything is subjected under his feet!

 

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Looking for Paul

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Philippians Chapter 1

- It is only right for me to think this regarding all of you, since I have you in my heart, you who are sharers with me in the undeserved kindness both in my prison bonds and in the defending and legally establishing of the good news.

- Defending and legally establishing of the good news!

- It was Paul main goal!

- It should also be the same for us!

- There is no room for tourism!

- But spiritually strong men not babies!

 

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Looking for Paul

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Colossians Chapter 1

- That is also why from the day we heard of it, we have never stopped praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension, so as to walk worthily of God in order to please him fully as you go on bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the accurate knowledge of God; and may you be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may endure fully with patience and joy, as you thank the Father, who made you qualify to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in the light.

- Yes, we need to be filled with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension!

- We must never be satisfied with what we know!

- We must always want more!

- We must walk worthily of God!

- We must bear fruit in every good work!

- We must be worthy of it!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

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Thessalonians Chapter 1

- And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, seeing that you accepted the word under much tribulation with joy of holy spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

- We must become imitators Of God and Jesus!

- We must become an example to all the believers!

- We can’t only think about ourselves!

- We must speakand tell people!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

Where does it come?
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1 Timothy Chapter 1

- Really, the objective of this instruction is love out of a clean heart and out of a good conscience and out of faith without hypocrisy. By deviating from these things, some have been turned aside to meaningless talk.

- Love!

- A clean heart!

- A good conscience!

- No Hypocrisy!

- No deviation!

- No meaningless talk but constructive one!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

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Titus Chapter 1

- I left you in Crete so that you would correct the things that were defective and make appointments of elders in city after city, as I instructed you: if there is any man free from accusation, a husband of one wife, having believing children who are not accused of debauchery or rebelliousness. For as God’s steward, an overseer must be free from accusation, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy of dishonest gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sound in mind, righteous, loyal, self-controlled, holding firmly to the faithful word as respects his art of teaching, so that he may be able both to encourage by the teaching that is wholesome and to reprove those who contradict.

- it is important to correct the things that are defective!

- No accusation!

- No debauchery!

- No rebelliousness!

- No quick-tempered!

- No drunkard!

- No violence!

- No greed of dishonest gain!

- Hospitable!

- Lover of goodness!

- Sound in mind!

- Righteous!

- Loyal!

- Loyal!

- Self-controlled!

- Holding firmly to the faithful word!

- A lot to think about and to work about!

- Good luck!





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[JLG]

Looking for Paul

Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Hebrews Chapter 1

- But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: “And let all of God’s angels do obeisance to him.”

- Jesus is the firstborn meaning there are others!

- God’s angels do obeisance to Jesus!

- There should be no discussion possible!

- But there are!

- CORRUPTION AND CORRUPTION!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

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Romans Chapter 1

- For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their senseless hearts became darkened. Although claiming they were wise, they became foolish and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and birds and four-footed creatures and reptiles.

- Going away from God, man became empty-headed!

- When we look at today’s situation, we may understand what it means!

- And if we don’t, it will be easier as time passes and the situation is worsening faster and faster!

- Their senseless hearts became darkened!

- Can it be darker!

- I doubt it!

- But man never understands!

- Yes, men claim they are wise!

- They don’t look at reality!

- They don’t open their eyes!

- In fact, they have always been foolish!

- And they are obstinate!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

Where does it come?
How does it grow?

1 Corinthians Chapter 1

- For Christ sent me, not to baptize, but to declare the good news; and not with wisdom of speech, so that the torture stake of the Christ should not be made useless.

- Paul had a mission: to declare the good news!

- He had no wisdom of speech!

- But he was a had worker!

- And it is incredible how regularity can be efficient!

- He was always eager to speak about God and Jesus!

- He was always concentrating on his mission!

- His mind and heart were filled with it!

- He was eating and drinking and breathing God and Jesus!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Galatians Chapter 1

- Is it, in fact, men I am now trying to persuade or God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I would not be Christ’s slave. For I want you to know, brothers, that the good news I declared to you is not of human origin; for neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it was through a revelation by Jesus Christ.

- Paul was Christ’s slave meaning he was working for him 24 hours a day!

- And he received the good news from Jesus!

- And Jesus chose him especially for this mission!

- And he would travel constantly in many cities!

- But not only that, he would also write letters to encourage the disciples!

- Thus he used all the possible ways of the time to reach and encourage people!

- What would he do today?

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

Where does it come?
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Ephesians Chapter 2

- Furthermore, God made you alive, though you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you at one time walked according to the system of things of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

- Being dead and becoming alive!

- In fact, looking for this world leads to nowhere!

- When we listen to politicians, they have no hope to offer, just empty promises!

- And empty talks!

- They are just interested in money!

- But this commercial world is in a perpetual tornado which is growing and growing!

- And there is no way to escape except when God destroy it completely!

- So men will completely forget it!

- It will become a thing of the past!

- No more violence and war and destruction and disease and emptiness and pollution and fear and…!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul

Where does it come?
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Philippians Chapter 1

- For God is my witness of how I am longing for all of you with such tender affection as Christ Jesus has. And this is what I continue praying, that your love may abound still more and more with accurate knowledge and full discernment; that you may make sure of the more important things, so that you may be flawless and not stumbling others up to the day of Christ; and that you may be filled with righteous fruit, which is through Jesus Christ, to God’s glory and praise.

- Paul is encouraging the disciples to abound with accurate knowledge!

- And full discernment!

- To be flawless!

- And not stumbling others up!

- And filled with righteous fruit!

- Accurate knowledge means looking for knowledge!

- There is no limit to knowledge!

- It is a race without end!

- We can’t stop!

- The more you know the more you want to know!

- It is a magnet attracting us!

- And we need discernment!

- We need to open our eyes and see!

- Many people live in the city and they don’t see nature anymore!

- We need to see again and smell and hear and touch and taste!

- And produce fruit!

- Remember what Jesus did with the fig tree which didn’t have fruit!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Colossians Chapter 1

- He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him.

- Jesus is the image of the invisible God!

- He is the firstborn of all creation which makes him exceptional!

- He participated in the creation of everything!

- And the last sentence is interesting!

- All other things have been created through him and for him!

- So Jesus has an essential part in God’s plan!

- Do you have images coming back in mind?

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Thessalonians Chapter 1

- The fact is, not only has the word of God sounded out from you in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith in God has spread abroad in every place, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves keep reporting about our first contact with you and how you turned to God from your idols to slave for a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from the heavens, whom he raised up from the dead, namely, Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

- The disciples did a good job because God’s word spread a lot according to what Paul says!

- He also tells about left their idols and looked for a living and true God!

- Living is interesting!

- It’s sounds like living faith!

- And living knowledge!

- Something it is necessary to develop and increase constantly and regularly and daily!